In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include configuring the device to monitor the presence of the OFDMA beacons and the quality of the OFDMA beacon receptions. The device may transmit the beacon reports that detail the sensed beacons from the beaconing device during an OFDMA beacon opportunity. In another aspect there is provided a method. The method may include configuring a dedicated beacon quality measurement agreement between two or more devices. Based on the agreement defining the beacon transmission and reception periodicity, one device transmits a beacon and the other devices in the agreement monitor the beacon. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method comprising: monitoring, by a user equipment, for a presence of a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons over a course of a plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted by at least one other user equipment; monitoring, by the user equipment, at least one quality parameter relating to reception of each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons; and transmitting, by the user equipment and to the at least one other user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
A user device monitors for device-to-device communication signals (beacons) using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) during designated transmission periods. The beacons are sent by other user devices. The device measures the quality of the received beacons and creates a "beacon map." This map indicates whether each beacon from each transmitting device was received correctly during each transmission opportunity, based on quality measurements. The user device then transmits this beacon map to the other devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map as a broadcast radio frame designated for beaconing, wherein the beacon map comprises an indication of listening times over a predefined set of beaconing opportunities and reported beacons information over the predefined set of beaconing opportunities.
The user device transmits the beacon map described above as a broadcast radio signal specifically for beaconing. This broadcast signal contains information about when the device was actively listening for beacons during a set of predefined beacon transmission periods and reports the beacons it detected during those periods. The beacon map essentially provides a log of which devices were heard when.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map triggered by a detection of at least one of a reduced number of beacon receptions, a free slot, a new transmitter, and a poor beacon transmission quality.
The user device transmits the beacon map described above when certain events occur: if the number of received beacons drops below a threshold, if a free time slot is detected, if a new transmitting device is detected, or if the quality of a received beacon is poor. This triggers the transmission of the beacon map.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map to the at least one other user equipment as a unicast frame, in response to a beacon map request from the at least one other user equipment.
The user device transmits the beacon map described above to a specific device (unicast) only when that device requests it. This differs from the broadcast approach, as it's a response to a direct request.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon map further comprises at least one of an indication of whether the beacon map contains information for all known or received beacons within a predetermined number of preceding beacon opportunities, or an indication of a number of beacon reports contained in the beacon map.
The beacon map described above includes either an indicator of whether the beacon map contains beacon information for all known or received beacons within a predetermined number of recent beaconing opportunities, or an indication of the number of individual beacon reports contained within the beacon map. Essentially the map indicates how complete its log is.
6. A method comprising: transmitting, by a first user equipment and to a second user equipment, a request to set up a dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity between the first user equipment and the second user equipment; transmitting, by the first user equipment and during a first set of beacon transmission opportunities, one or more first orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons to at least the second user equipment, the first set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity; monitoring, by the first user equipment and during a second set of beacon transmission opportunities, for a plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons from the second user equipment, the second set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity, wherein the second set of beacon transmission opportunities does not overlap with the first set of beacon transmission opportunities; monitoring, by the first user equipment, at least one quality parameter relating to reception of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons, the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted to enable monitoring by the second user equipment; and transmitting, by the first user equipment and to the second user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the second set of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
A first user device sends a request to a second user device to establish a specific schedule for beacon transmission and reception. The first device then transmits beacons during a first set of transmission times based on this agreed-upon schedule. Simultaneously, the first device listens for beacons from the second device during a second set of transmission times (which do not overlap with the first device's transmission times), determined also by the same schedule. The first device monitors the quality of the received beacons and creates a beacon map indicating whether the beacons from the second device were received correctly during each of the second transmission times. Finally, the first device transmits this beacon map to the second device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the request to set up the dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity comprises at least one of a synchronization sequence in use, a beaconing channel offset, a beacon transmission periodicity, a requesting device identifier, a requested device identifier, and a periodicity of the beacon map transmission.
The request to set up the dedicated beaconing schedule between user devices includes information such as the synchronization method used, the channel offset for beaconing, the transmission frequency, the ID of the requesting device, the ID of the device being requested, and how often the beacon map will be transmitted. These parameters allow two devices to align their beaconing behavior.
8. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor circuit; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one processor circuit, the at least one memory, and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to at least: monitor for a presence of a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons over a course of a plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted by at least one other user equipment; monitor at least one quality parameter relating to reception of each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons, wherein the apparatus comprises a user equipment; and transmit, to the at least one other user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
An apparatus, such as a user device, includes a processor and memory configured to: monitor for device-to-device communication signals (beacons) using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) during designated transmission periods, the beacons transmitted by at least one other user equipment; measure the quality of the received beacons; and transmit a "beacon map" to the other devices. This map indicates whether each beacon was received correctly during each transmission opportunity, based on quality measurements.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least transmit the beacon map autonomously as a broadcast frame.
The apparatus described above transmits the beacon map without being prompted, as a broadcast signal, allowing all devices in the area to receive it. The apparatus transmits the beacon map autonomously as a broadcast frame containing the beacon information.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is configured to at least transmit the beacon map triggered by at least one of a reduced number of beacon receptions, a free slot, a new transmitter, and a poor beacon transmission quality.
The apparatus transmits the beacon map described above when certain events occur: if the number of received beacons drops below a threshold, if a free time slot is detected, if a new transmitting device is detected, or if the quality of a received beacon is poor. This triggers the transmission of the beacon map autonomously.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to at least: transmit the beacon map to the at least one other user equipment as a unicast frame, in response to a beacon map request from the at least one other user equipment.
The apparatus transmits the beacon map described above to a specific device (unicast) only when that device requests it. This differs from the broadcast approach, as it's a response to a direct request from another user equipment.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the beacon map further comprises at least one of an indication of whether the beacon map contains information for all known or received beacons within a predetermined number of preceding beacon opportunities, or an indication of a number of beacon reports contained in the beacon map.
The beacon map described above includes either an indicator of whether the beacon map contains beacon information for all known or received beacons within a predetermined number of recent beaconing opportunities, or an indication of the number of individual beacon reports contained within the beacon map. Essentially the map indicates how complete its log is.
13. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor circuit; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one processor circuit, the at least one memory, and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to at least: transmit, to a user equipment, a request to set up a dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity between the apparatus and the user equipment; transmit, during a first set of beacon transmission opportunities, one or more first orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons to at least the user equipment, the first set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity; monitor, during a second set of beacon transmission opportunities, for a plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons from the user equipment, the second set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity, wherein the second set of beacon transmission opportunities does not overlap with the first set of beacon transmission opportunities; monitor at least one quality parameter relating to reception of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons, the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted to enable monitoring by the user equipment; and transmit, to the user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the second set of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
An apparatus includes a processor and memory configured to: send a request to a user device to establish a specific schedule for beacon transmission and reception. The apparatus then transmits beacons during a first set of transmission times based on this agreed-upon schedule. Simultaneously, the apparatus listens for beacons from the other device during a second set of transmission times (which do not overlap), also determined by the same schedule. The apparatus monitors the quality of the received beacons and creates a beacon map indicating whether the beacons were received correctly during each of the second transmission times. Finally, the apparatus transmits this beacon map to the other device.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the request to set up the dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity comprises at least one of a synchronization sequence in use, a beaconing channel offset, a beacon transmission periodicity, a requesting device identifier, a requested device identifier, and a periodicity of the beacon map transmission.
The request to set up the dedicated beaconing schedule between the apparatus and a user equipment includes information such as the synchronization method used, the channel offset for beaconing, the transmission frequency, the ID of the requesting device, the ID of the device being requested, and how often the beacon map will be transmitted. These parameters allow the devices to coordinate their beaconing behavior.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program code which when executed on at least one processor circuit provides at least the following: monitoring, by a user equipment, for a presence of a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons over a course of a plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted by at least one other user equipment; monitoring, by the user equipment, at least one quality parameter relating to reception of each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons; and transmitting, by the user equipment and to the at least one other user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the plurality of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause a user device to: monitor for device-to-device communication signals (beacons) using orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) during designated transmission periods, the beacons transmitted by at least one other user equipment; measure the quality of the received beacons; and transmit a "beacon map" to the other devices. This map indicates whether each beacon was received correctly during each transmission opportunity, based on quality measurements.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map autonomously as a broadcast frame.
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described above has instructions to transmits the beacon map without being prompted, as a broadcast signal, allowing all devices in the area to receive it. The device transmits the beacon map autonomously as a broadcast frame containing the beacon information.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map triggered by a detection of at least one of a reduced number of beacon receptions, a free slot, a new transmitter, and a poor beacon transmission quality.
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described above has instructions to transmits the beacon map when certain events occur: if the number of received beacons drops below a threshold, if a free time slot is detected, if a new transmitting device is detected, or if the quality of a received beacon is poor. This triggers the transmission of the beacon map autonomously.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting further comprises: transmitting the beacon map as a unicast frame to the at least one other user equipment, in response to a beacon map request from the at least one other user equipment.
This invention relates to wireless communication systems, specifically improving device-to-device (D2D) communication by efficiently sharing beacon maps between user equipment (UE) devices. The problem addressed is the need for UEs to exchange beacon maps—data structures containing information about signal transmission patterns—to coordinate D2D communications without excessive overhead or latency. The invention describes a method where a first UE generates a beacon map based on its transmission schedule and other relevant parameters. This beacon map is then transmitted to at least one other UE. The transmission can occur as a unicast frame, sent directly to a specific UE in response to a request from that UE. This ensures that beacon maps are only sent to devices that need them, reducing unnecessary data transmission. The beacon map may include details such as transmission timing, frequency resources, and power levels, enabling receiving UEs to avoid interference and optimize their own communication schedules. The system may also involve the first UE receiving beacon maps from other UEs, allowing it to adjust its own transmission parameters accordingly. This bidirectional exchange ensures all devices in the network have up-to-date information for efficient D2D coordination. The invention is implemented using a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for executing the described processes. The solution improves D2D communication efficiency by minimizing redundant transmissions and ensuring timely sharing of critical scheduling information.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program code which when executed on at least one processor circuit provides at least the following: transmitting, by a first user equipment and to a second user equipment, a request to set up a dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity between the first user equipment and the second user equipment; transmitting, by the first user equipment and during a first set of beacon transmission opportunities, one or more first orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons to at least the second user equipment, the first set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity; monitoring, by the first user equipment and during a second set of beacon transmission opportunities, for a plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons from the second user equipment, the second set of beacon transmission opportunities determined based on at least the transmission and reception periodicity, wherein the second set of beacon transmission opportunities does not overlap with the first set of beacon transmission opportunities; monitoring, by the first user equipment, at least one quality parameter relating to reception of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons, the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons transmitted to enable monitoring by the second user equipment; and transmitting, by the first user equipment and to the second user equipment, a beacon map comprising information indicating whether each of the plurality of second orthogonal frequency division multiple access device-to-device beacons were received properly, in each of the second set of beacon transmission opportunities, based at least in part upon the at least one quality parameter.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a first user device to: send a request to a second user device to establish a specific schedule for beacon transmission and reception. The first device then transmits beacons during a first set of transmission times based on this agreed-upon schedule. Simultaneously, the first device listens for beacons from the other device during a second set of transmission times (which do not overlap), also determined by the same schedule. The first device monitors the quality of the received beacons and creates a beacon map indicating whether the beacons were received correctly during each of the second transmission times. Finally, the first device transmits this beacon map to the second device.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the request to set up the dedicated beacon transmission and reception periodicity comprises at least one of a synchronization sequence in use, a beaconing channel offset, a beacon transmission periodicity, a requesting device identifier, a requested device identifier, and a periodicity of the beacon map transmission.
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium described above contains instructions where the request to set up the dedicated beaconing schedule between user devices includes information such as the synchronization method used, the channel offset for beaconing, the transmission frequency, the ID of the requesting device, the ID of the device being requested, and how often the beacon map will be transmitted. These parameters allow the devices to coordinate their beaconing behavior.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 30, 2009
August 15, 2017
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